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handa's surprise book

Handa’s Surprise

Picturebook

In this picture book classic, a delightful surprise colourfully unfolds when a little girl called Handa puts seven delicious fruits in a basket to take to her friend.

A modern classic named one of the best culturally diverse picture books in the UK, this is the story of Handa, who’s part of the Luo tribe in south-west Kenya. Handa decides to take seven pieces of delicious fruit to her friend, Akeyo, who lives in the neighbouring village. But as Handa wonders, I wonder what fruit Akeyo will like best?, a series of sneaky animals steal something from Handa’s basket, which she’s carrying on her head… When Handa reaches Akeyo, will she have anything left to offer her friend?

Richly-illustrated, brimming with luscious fruit and cheeky wild animals, this mouth-watering story is for the youngest of readers. In the best pantomime spirit, children will long to tell Handa what’s happening right behind her!

The White Giraffe

Chapter book

The first book in the heart-warming White Giraffe series by Lauren St John, featuring the African adventures of Martine and her magical white giraffe.

When tragedy strikes on a winter’s night in England, Martine is sent to live with her grandmother on a game reserve in South Africa.

Her wild, beautiful new home is riddled with secrets, but lonely Martine finds comfort in the legend of a white giraffe and in mysterious Grace, who believes Martine has a powerful gift.

Defying her grandmother by entering the reserve alone, Martine is plunged into a world of danger, mystery and adventure. Who can she trust? And how far will she go to save the only friend she has ever known?

Swimming against the storm

Swimming Against the Storm

Chapter book

Twelve-year-old Eliza and her sister Avery have lived their entire lives in a small fishing village on the coast of Louisiana, growing up alongside turtles, pelicans and porpoises. But now, with sea levels rising, their home is at risk of being swept away.Determined to save the land, Eliza and her younger sister Avery secretly go searching in the swamp for the dangerous, wolf-like loup-garou . If they can prove this legendary creature exists, they’re sure that the government will have to protect its habitat – and their community. But there’s one problem: the loup-garou has never been seen before. And with a tropical storm approaching and the sisters deep, deep in the swampland, soon it’s not just their home at risk, but their lives as well…

The Somerset Tsunami

Chapter book

A sinking boat. A girl in disguise. A disappearing sea.

When Fortune Sharpe carves a boat from a tree with her beloved brother, Gem, she’s only having a bit of fun. But now is not the time for a girl to be drawing attention to herself. She is sent away to find work dressed as a boy. Luckily a rich manor house is hiring.

Yet Berrow Hall’s inhabitants harbour dangerous secrets of their own, the suspicious owner is hunting for witches, and the house itself is a little too close to the sea.

There’s a Rang-Tan in My Bedroom

Picturebook

A stunning picture book about one little girl and her orangutan friend, based on the Greenpeace film that became a viral sensation. When a little girl discovers a mischievous orangutan on the loose in her bedroom, she can’t understand why it keeps shouting OOO! at her shampoo and her chocolate. But when Rang-tan explains that there are humans running wild in her rainforest, burning down trees so they can grow palm oil to put in products, the little girl knows what she has to do: help save the orangutans! Extra pages at the back include information about orangutans and palm oil plus exciting ideas about how young readers can make a difference.

The Explorer

Chapter book

From his seat in the tiny aeroplane, Fred watches as the mysteries of the Amazon jungle pass by below him. He has always dreamed of becoming an explorer, of making history and of reading his name amongst the lists of great discoveries. If only he could land and look about him.

As the plane crashes into the canopy, Fred is suddenly left without a choice. He and the three other children may be alive, but the jungle is a vast, untamed place. With no hope of rescue, the chance of getting home feels impossibly small.

Except, it seems, someone has been there before them …

Song of the Dolphin Boy

Chapter book

Finn has always been different, and in the tiny fishing village of Stromhead he sticks out like a sore thumb. Always told to keep away from the water, he’s felt that something was missing until one day he dives in and finds that, swimming with the dolphins, he feels completely at home.

But his new friends are in danger of being injured by the rubbish that floats out into the water – and now a supermarket is going to release thousands of balloons that could drift out to sea and cause even more damage. Desperate to help the dolphins, Finn goes to the Lighthouse Crew, a group of kids who have always left Finn out. Will they be able to set aside their differences to save the dolphins? And what will Finn discover about his past along the way?

A moving adventure about the impact of plastic pollution on our seas, and the campaigning power of friendship from the award-winning Elizabeth Laird, illustrated by Peter Bailey.

Song of the River

Picturebook

“Come with me. Come with me. I will take you to the sea,” sings the stream to Cam, the mountain boy. And so Cam’s adventure begins, an adventure in which he will see many strange and wondrous sights, and make a marvellous discovery.

In this resonant story, Cam the mountain boy follows the river from its trickling source in the snow all the way to the sea. The river leads him through forest, farms and towns to the salty wind of the sea. The dramatic landscapes are packed with detail to discover in the world of the river. A poetic and beautifully illustrated picture book exploring the different forms that water can take.

Amazon River

Non-fiction

Beginning with a tiny trickle high in the mountains, smaller streams join until they form the world’s largest river. Crossing a continent, it winds through lush rainforests until it meets the ocean. From piranhas to the giant anaconda, this mighty waterway is home to the world’s most incredible ecosystem. Welcome to the Amazon River.

This stunning illustrated guide to the world’s most famous river and its surrounding rainforest is packed with incredible facts about South America’s wildlife, people, geography and history.

Everest: The Remarkable Story of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay

Non-fiction

In the late morning of May 29th 1953, the sun was shining brightly on the roof of the world, a gentle breeze was blowing and two men were there to witness it for the first time ever … Their names were Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay and the roof of the world was Everest.

This is the breathtaking story of how two very different yet equally determined men battled frost-biting temperatures, tumbling ice rocks, powerful winds and death-defying ridges to climb the world’s highest mountain. Join these two unlikely heroes on the most amazing of adventures and discover the impact of hundreds of men and women that helped Hillary and Tenzing achieve their goal. But triumphs can be marred with tragedy as not everyone who climbs Everest survives …

With a beautiful foreword by the greatest living explorer of our time, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, this brilliant book combines fresh and contemporary illustrations by Joe Todd-Stanton with Alexandra Stewart’s captivating writing and publishes in time to celebrate the centenary of Edmund Hillary’s birth. This unique narrative tells the story of how Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay made their mark on the world from birth right up to their final days and the impact they’ve had on Nepal today.

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Stone Girl Bone Girl

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